Life, 1919-07-03 · page 39 of 52
Life — July 3, 1919 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a satirical editorial titled "A National Danger" mocking early 20th-century moral panic about leisure activities. The piece sarcastically condemns "relaxation" itself, claiming innocent activities like dancing, movies, swimming, and baseball inevitably lead to moral decay and "the light-beer habit." The satire targets puritanical social attitudes of the era—the anxiety among cultural conservatives about modern amusements and their supposed corrupting influence. By presenting relaxation as inherently immoral and listing absurdly mundane activities alongside serious vices, Life ridicules overwrought moral reformism. The concluding joke about Penelope (Odysseus's faithful wife) renewing a *Life* subscription during his absence is self-promotional humor, suggesting the magazine itself offers "safe" leisure for the morally conscientious. The surrounding advertisements (Tiffany & Co., Forhan's toothpaste) are period commercial content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
inge in As only Send be lost. dvance ing the EALTHY teeth need healthy gums to hug them. Ise they will loosen in Pyorrhea. Tiny openings will come in the gums to act as the gateways of dis- ease germs, which infect the joints or| tonsils, or cause other ailments. Forhan’s prevents Pyor- thea, if used in time and | used consistently. Nomere | toothpaste does. Are your gums tender gums? Are they bleeding gums? If $0, you are certain to have Pyorrhea (Riggs’ Dis- ease), Four out of five people who are over forty have it To you we eamestly recommend Forhan’s. It] preservesthe gums, which | hold the teeth secure. | Brush your teeth with | it. Forhan’s cleans the teethscientifically keeps them white and clean. If gum-shrinkage has already set in, start using | Forhan’s and consult a | dentist immediately for special treatment 35¢ and 60c tubes | All druggists TIFFANY & Co. JEWELRY SILVERWARE WATCHES AND CLOCKS NOTED FOR QUALITY PURCHASES MAY BE MADE BY MAIL ONERY FietH AVENUE & 37" STREET New York FORHAN CO, 209 6th Ave. , N. A National Danger (By Our Office Gloom) Ww cannot insist too much on the dangers of relaxation. The very movement of the hody- muscles in taking any form of relaxa- tion is immoral. Relaxation leads to dancing, gum-chewing, Sunday movies, carrousel rides, public swimming, Sun day baseball, and finally degenerates into the light-beer habit. If one must relax occasionally, we advise the safe and sane movies of a week-day aiter- noon, One may even relax physically here without being observed. HE strongest proof of Penelope's devotion to Ui was that dur- ing his long absence she never failed to renew the Ulysses family’s regular, annual subscription to Lure. Hotel © 2hamplain ff Point-on-Qake Ch comicbooks.com